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In Case You Missed It:

Androgen-independent prostate cancer

Published: August, 2008

When cancer advances despite primary hormone therapy

We often hear the term prostate cancer and assume it is one
disease. Practically speaking, it is. On a molecular level,
however, scientists are revealing a far more complex picture.
Cancer has an innate ability to adapt to its surroundings. As it
progresses, cancer cells tend to change, morphing to a point
where the differences between tumor cells can be dramatic. That's
why some researchers believe late-stage prostate cancer is more
accurately described as a mix of cancer cell types.

Each year, an estimated 25,000 men will find out their prostate
cancer has changed enough to become resistant to standard
androgen-deprivation therapy, also called hormone therapy. At
this point, the cancer is classified as androgen-independent
prostate cancer (AIPC) or hormone-refractory prostate cancer,
meaning that the cancer is still able to thrive despite hormone
treatment.* The first sign of AIPC is typically a rising PSA
level, a shift that can be extremely distressing for patients,
but not entirely unexpected. A majority of patients with AIPC
will have already watched their PSA levels rise at two previous
critical junctures: before their initial cancer diagnosis and
after supposedly curative local treatment. When PSA levels rise
again, despite primary hormone therapy, it represents a third
critical decision-making point for patients.

Get health information and advice from the experts at Harvard Medical School.

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Daily Health Tip

Set a quit date

If you want to stop smoking, set a date to quit. Tell friends and family about your Quit Day, and prepare. Get rid of all the cigarettes and ashtrays in your home and car and at work. Stock up on sugarless gum, carrot sticks, hard candy, cinnamon sticks, or other substitutes.